Three individuals were hired to manage dry goods for a distributor, but instead, they engaged in theft and sold the stolen items to a delivery driver at a reduced price. Over a period of around ten months, the delivery driver handled approximately S$282,200 worth of stolen goods, selling them to his relatives, the distributor’s customers, and buyers on platforms like Telegram and Carousell. One of the individuals, a 29-year-old Singaporean, has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail after pleading guilty to habitually dealing in stolen property.
According to the court proceedings, the 29-year-old Singaporean was employed by a transportation company and contracted as a driver for the dry goods distributor. The distributor’s dry goods included rice, salt, sauces, and seasoning. The other individuals involved were a 30-year-old Malaysian, a 24-year-old Singaporean, and a 38-year-old Malaysian. The two Malaysians worked as storekeepers for the distributor, while the 24-year-old Singaporean was a warehouse assistant. All three were responsible for preparing the company’s products for delivery by picking and organizing the orders.
Due to the high volume of daily orders and inventory replenishment, it was challenging to detect the theft. The 29-year-old Singaporean individual sold the stolen goods to his relatives and offered them to the company’s customers at a lower price when making deliveries. Additionally, he sold a small quantity of stolen items to buyers on platforms like Telegram and Carousell.
In August 2021, the company’s general manager noticed discrepancies between the inventory recorded in the electronic system and the actual inventory in the warehouse. An internal investigation revealed that products were going missing, and a customer reported someone selling company products at below-market prices. Subsequent internal and police investigations identified the four individuals as the culprits.
During the court proceedings, the prosecutor requested a jail term of 30 to 36 months for the 29-year-old Singaporean individual, citing premeditation. However, it was acknowledged that the scheme was relatively unsophisticated, and the Singaporean did not play an active role in initiating it. The Singaporean individual will begin his jail term in October.